Each day of the WNBA season, our team of fantasy and betting experts breaks down every game on the slate, making note of everything from injuries and lineup changes to recent trends and more.
All odds are provided by Caesars Sportsbook.
Here's what to look for during Wednesday's slate:
Phoenix Mercury at Los Angeles Sparks10:30 p.m. ET, Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles
Line: Sparks (-1)
Money line: Mercury (+100), Sparks (-120)
Total: 166 points
Questionable: Chiney Ogwumike (leg), Rae Burrell (knee)
Ruled out: Shey Peddy (back)
Fantasy need to know: The Sparks have a 2-5 record going into Wednesday night's game against the Mercury after being beaten by the Las Vegas Aces on Monday night, giving up 104 points. Nneka Ogwumike is the top fantasy option for Los Angeles. In six of her seven games this season, she has scored 30 or more fantasy points. Liz Cambage is another must-start player from a fantasy perspective. She's averaged 15.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.7 steals and 2.0 blocks per game. While Cambage has averaged 24.4 minutes per game this season, she has played over 30 minutes only once. Both Brittney Sykes and Jordin Canada are also solid fantasy starters. If you're looking for a streamer, consider Lexie Brown, who is available in 87.1% of leagues. She has averaged 29.6 MPG and 18.3 fantasy points so far in 2022.
On the other side of this matchup are the 2-4 Mercury, who were also handled easily by the Aces in their most recent game. In terms of offensive rating, the Mercury rank sixth, but their defense remains a weakness. Phoenix is last in the league with a defensive rating of 107.8. Skylar Diggins-Smith has been the Mercury's best player so far. She has averaged 17 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.0 SPG and 0.8 BPG in 33.5 MPG. Diggins-Smith missed the past three games because of illness. She is not listed on the injury report heading into Wednesday night's game. Diana Taurasi has scored 29 or more fantasy points in four of six games. The soon-to-be 40-year-old guard has averaged 31.3 MPG. Tina Charles continues to be a reliable two-way threat for the Mercury as well. She has averaged 14 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2.2 APG and 0.7 SPG. Brianna Turner and Diamond DeShields are also strong options. Shey Peddy is out because of a back injury. As a result, Sophie Cunningham will see more minutes. The fourth-year wing is available in 92% of leagues for those in need of a streamer. -- Eric Moody
Best bet: Sparks -1. All season, the Mercury defense hasn't looked good, and the team is obviously missing Brittney Griner on the defensive end. The Sparks should have success offensively against Phoenix, and Los Angeles should cover the spread. -- Moody